How will you be spending the daylight hours in NYC this weekend? Here's four ways to consider, two which we haven't mentioned yet...

1) GoogaMooga - Friday through Sunday (The Darkness just went on)

2) NEW YORK CITY CD & RECORD COLLECTORS EXPO @ 57th Street Holiday Inn Saturday

3) Market Hotel tag sale Saturday

4) 5th Avenue Street Fair in Park Slope Sunday

What else?

And here's what else is going on Friday.

by Bill Pearis

Discerning vinyl lovers with disposable income left after taxes and Record Store Day will be pleased to learn that the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair is back this Saturday (5/4) at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg. There are 50 vendors, with tables from labels like Domino, DFA, Captured Tracks, Merge and Warp, and also record stores/vendors like Other Music, Turntable Lab, Kim's Video & Music, and Record Grouch.

There are also a few specialty items available, like Captured Tracks' Cleaners from Venus Vol. 2 Box Set (which isn't official out till 5/14), Cass McCombs/White Magic 7" on clear vinyl, and that PAWS cassette that was only available at their merch table on their North American tour last month. DJs picked by the Red Bull Music Academy folks will be spinning tunes, including sets from Throne of Blood's James Friedman, Dean Bein (True Panther Records), DJ/rupture and more. Hours for the record fair are 11 AM - 6 PM and it's free entry. Smorgasburg gets insanely packed these days, so go early.

Full list of vendors, specialty items and DJ schedule are below.

Continue reading "Brooklyn Flea Record Fair returns to Smorgasburg this weekend"

Lots of room in the ARC

Since 1985, not-for-profit organization The ARChive of Contemporary Music has been collecting, preserving and providing info on "the popular music of all cultures and races throughout the world from 1950 to the present." In a world that is hurdling towards the cloud, the ARC remains obsessively devoted to physical formats and counts David Bowie, Jerry Leiber, Youssou N'Dour, Lou Reed, Keith Richards, Martin Scorsese and Paul Simon among its board of advisors.

For those of us who have too many CDs and records and are looking to clear out some personal space, the ARC is a great place to donate. As loads of people -- and record companies do just that (BrooklynVegan included) -- the ARC has duplicates and surplus, and for one week every year during the holiday season it becomes the biggest record store in NYC. This year the ARC Holiday Record & CD sale happens Dec 8 - Sunday, Dec 16 from 11 AM - 6 PM at ARC HQ (54 White Street, NY, NY) and will feature over 20,000 items, including:

Good vinyl in good condition at great prices. Remember we clean out everything after each sale, so it may seem familiar, but it's fresh, CDs are NEW donations from record companies, NOT used, returns or defects! Mostly pop and rock recordings. Collectible LPs are priced below book value. Hundreds of CDs are priced at $1 to $5 each. Cassettes + Classical LPs - 2 for $1.00 Just released NEW & HOT CDs are $5 - $10.

PLUS - 7" singles. Old + new music books, books of all kinds actually - African, Reggae & world-music releases - videos.

More details are here. ARC Members will get first dibs at this year's sale at their Holiday Cocktail party which happens on December 6 from 6 - 9 PM. If you're not a member, you can join right now and there are a number of different price levels, starting at $50.

oh man:

The WFMU Record Fair is cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. All dealers will be refunded their payments, and the Fair will return in the Fall of 2013. We're very sorry about this, but the Pavilion has no power, WFMU has no power, mass transit in NYC is still not working and there are no estimates as to when electric or transit will return to normal. Our apologies to anybody who is inconvenienced by this.

The record fair was set to happen from 11/2-11/4. Meanwhile, Other Music is also closed and their website is down.

Happy Halloween!

On October 6, The Brooklyn Flea's Smorgasburg in Williamsburg will move aside the uinoa falafels, huaraches, lobster rolls, and doughnuts to make room for vinyl... it's another edition of the Brooklyn Flea Record Fair. The fall incarnation will play host to 32 vendors including labels like 4AD, Captured Tracks, DFA, Merge, Mexican Summer, XL, Warp, True Panther, and many many more.

In addition, look for private collectors to be on hand to peddle their new and used wares, as well as traditional record stores like Coop 87, Other Music, Halcyon, and Mondo Kim's to set up satellite stores for the day. It all goes down from 11AM to 6PM at 27 North 6th St. (Kent Ave and East River).

More details, including a list of participating labels, are below.

Continue reading "Brooklyn Flea Record Fair returns for fall edition"

The Brooklyn Flea Record Fair (previously known as the Superstar DJ Record Fair) is now a bi-annual event, and its next edition will take place on May 19 from 11AM-6PM at Smorgasburg. Here's what Brooklyn Flea has to say about it:

As in past years, we've skimmed the cream of the crop of NYC indie record labels, DJs, and vintage dealers to create a manageable melange of 25 or so vendors, with a nice balance of rare and one-off items, dusty gems, old standbys, and plenty of deals. We'll have music too, and maybe a special performance, which we'll announce later. You'll meet the faces behind your favorite labels, and maybe see an artist or four buying or selling. To top it off, you'll be surrounded by the 75 or so fab food vendors of Smorgasburg--just don't go smearing your greasy Pizza Moto hands on that King Tubby 45!

The fair will feature a variety of labels including Domino, DFA, Sacred Bones, RVNG, True Panther, Captured Tracks, Temporary Residence, Kanine, FatCat, and more. Check out the full list of participating labels below...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Flea Record Fair returns in May (lots of labels will be selling stuff there)"

by Bill Pearis

Brooklyn Flea's 4th Annual Superstar DJ Record Fair + Independent Label Market: Brooklyn
Saturday, Oct. 8, 10am-5pm
Smorgasburg, 27 North 6th St. (btw. Kent Ave. + East River), Williamsburg
FREE

After having success with the concept in London, they're bringing the Independent Label Market, in association with Brooklyn Flea, to Brooklyn Saturday afternoon -- sharing space with the myriad deliciousness that is Smorgasburg. In London, label bigwigs actually manned the tables. Will James Murphy be working the DFA booth? We shall see. Also, hopefully they'll all be selling at cost, seeing how they're elimnating the middlemen. Pass the savings on to us! There's some ILM exclusives being sold I'm told (like the Portishead 12" from XL), so keep an eye out. There's also album cover face painting. I wonder if they can do any record? So alt-parents, bring your kids so you can later say to old people, "Yes, that is The Dwarves' Blood, Guts and Pussy on my son's face."

Bear Hands @ Stratosphere Sound, CMJ 2010 (more by Diana Wong)

Head to Brooklyn Bowl today, Oscar Sunday (2/27), first for the free COLLECT-I-BOWL Record Show, and then for the next edition of "Local x Local" with a free show by Bear Hands.

Bear Hands also have a not-free show coming up at Knitting Factory on March 14th with Johnossi and Dinowalrus. They leave right afterwards for Austin where they'll play what the Cantora Records Showcase at the Victorian Room at the Driskill on 3/17 with Reptar, Computer Magic, Secret Music, Superhumanoids and Slam Donahue. They're probably playing other parties too, but they don't currently list them at their site.

Just in time for Christmas, the New York Punk & Underground Record Fair will have their second outing of 2010 (the first was in May) on December 11th at Southpaw. Beginning at 10AM, $5 will get you in but be prepared to spend a lot more than that if you're into Punk, New Wave, Hardcore, Indie, Metal, Power Pop or anything DIY and in-between. Full bar will be in-effect and DJs will be-a-plenty. Flyer below - BBG

Continue reading "New York Punk & Underground Record Fair coming"

by BBG

Prince Rama at Glasslands (more by Benjamin Lozovsky)

If you nerd out on vinyl as much as I do, then you might take a step away from all of this CMJ nonsense to pop in to the WFMU Record & CD Fair at The Metropolitan Pavilion (125 West 18th St in Manhattan) which kicks off on Friday (10/24) at 4PM (for early admission) and lasts through the weekend. In addition to killer records, crucial trades, and melted Mastercards strewn across the fair's 30,000 square feet, the annual WFMU Record Fair will also have video, live broadcasts, and live music with names like Prince Rama, The Hamburglars, Ted Leo, Butts, Fabulous Diamonds, Dan Friel, and others among the performers. Full details are below.

Besides the WFMU show, Prince Rama also has SIX other NYC dates, four during CMJ and two that aren't. Their CMJ week will kick off at Cake Shop tomorrow (10/20) as part of the Terrorbird CMJ show with Marnie Stern, Baths, Revolver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. (who just played Conflict of Interest), Kyle Andrews, Botany, Dark Dark Dark and Kordan. Later that night the Brooklyn Trio will be at Don Pedros for one of the many Impose Magazine parties, this time at Don Pedro's with Woodsman, Lower Dens, Talk Normal, Prince Rama, PC Worship, and Ancient Ocean. Thursday (10/21) will see them at Cake Shop for the previously discussed Carpark / Paw Tracks CMJ Showcase with Deakin, Light Pollution, Dent May, Excepter and others. And finally, on 10/22 Prince Rama will play the night show at Death By Audio with Greatest Hits, Woven Bones, Teen Inc, Excpeter, John Maus, and a DJ set from How To Dress Well.

After CMJ, Prince Rama will join Neon Indian & Apache Beat for a show at Brooklyn Bowl (10/29, tickets), followed by The New Museum on 12/10 where the trio will again accompany Deakin of Animal Collective (tickets).

All Prince Rama and Ted Leo dates, some video and set times for all known and previously mentioned parties (including the big Impose flyer) are below.

Continue reading "WFMU Record & CD Fair w/ Ted Leo, other Prince Rama dates, Impose parties, Deakin at CMJ too (and stuff)"

Budos Band @ the 5th Ave Street Fair, 2007

Park Slope's annual 5th Avenue Street Fair is Sunday, May 16th. It runs from Sterling to 12th Street and starts at noon. Not your typical corn dog and lemonade street fair (though they do have that stuff), the Brooklyn event features multiple stages of live music including two hosted by Southpaw which is also home to the day's Punk & Underground Record Fair (10am-6pm, $5 entry). Southpaw's stages, assuming it doesn't rain, will be in front of Southpaw, and at the Gate (5th Ave & 3rd St). If it rains, music moves inside Southpaw where the record fair will also be taking place.

While on Fifth Ave, you can also stop by Union Hall (season finale of tearing the veil of maya at 7 / indie rock all stars cover tusk by fleetwood mac at 9), and walk a block down to 4th Ave to check out new venue Rock Shop.

Flyers and music lineups (which aren't 100% consistent with the flyers) below...

Continue reading "the 2010 Park Slope 5th Ave Street & Record Fair is Sunday "

You had plenty of CMJ chances to see both Surf bands in NYC last week. In case you didn't, Surfer Blood is at Death By Audio tonight (10/26). It's a great bill with Parts and Labor, Small Black, and The Sundelles also playing. Surf City is at Market Hotel tonight.

Also here last week, though not part of CMJ was the first-ever NYC-area appearances by The Trashmen, makers of the a famous tune called "Surfin' Bird". They played at Maxwell's, Southpaw and at the WFMU Record Fair. Video of almost all of their set at the latter, below...

Continue reading "The Trashmen were here. Surf City & Surfer Blood are still"

Live bands included. More details below...

Continue reading "2009 WFMU Record Fair this weekend (w/ live bands)"

by Andrew Frisicano

NY EYE & EAR FEST II - JULY 9 - 12, 2009!
4 DAYS - 3 VENUES - 2 BOROUGHS
Knitting Factory & 92Y Tribeca in Manhattan & Death By Audio in Brooklyn
Pendu presents: NY Eye & Ear Fest II ... a massive 4-day New Music and Arts Fete showcasing some of the most exciting bands, artists, and filmmakers currently living and working here in NYC. In addition, NYE&E assembles a Record Fair featuring NYC-based Record Labels and Vendors selling LPs, CDs, 7''s, cassettes, lathes, comics, zines, stickers, and art prints.

The fest is a part II to the December event of the same name. The Fest's four days of music kick off at the Knitting Factory on July 9th. The bands there include Grooms, Liturgy and Love Like Deloreans (to name a few) with headliners Nymph and Neg-Fi. The fest returns to the Knit on Friday, July 10th, for a show with Magik Markers, Child Abuse and more. In addition to the venue's two floors of music, its already-creepy basement will be turned into a "Video Art Installation and a 7-hour Continuous Drone Room."

The Fest then switches to the 92YTribeca on Saturday for a concert and a free record fair. Also at 92Y will be a program called "Women of NYCinema," with films and music from Sarah Lipstate (aka Noveller), Liz Wendelbo, Rachel Blackwell and Dirty Churches. The vendors range from big names like Matador Records to the recently featured Journal of Popular Noise to notable jazz label ESP-Disk.

The fest's final, fourth day moves to Brooklyn for a closing party at Death by Audio. That lineup includes Murdertronics, Team Robespierre, Talibam!, Total Abuse and Drunkdriver.

Tickets for Thursday, Friday, and a variety of Saturday packages are available.

Separate from the festival, on Thursday, July 9th the 92YTribeca will screen filmmaker Brendan Toller's I Need That Record, a documentary about the problems facing record stores around the country. It will be the NYC premiere of the movie that was getting some attention already all the back on Record Store Day 2008. The movie includes interviews with Thurston Moore, Ian Mackaye, Mike Watt, Chris Frantz and more. Toller will be on hand for the showing. Tickets are on sale.

More details on the film (with video trailer) and the Ear and Eye Festival, below...

Continue reading "NY Ear & Eye Fest II - shows & record fair this weekend @ KF, DBA & 92Y Tribeca (also screening 'I Need That Record')"

The Persuasions

The annual 5th Avenue Street Fair in Park Slope is not a cookie cutter street fair, and with lots of entertainment along the route, it's always a worthwhile day for music lovers. 5th Avenue also happens to be home to both Union Hall and Southpaw, not to mention lots of good restaurants (like V Spot) and bars (like The Gate). This year the fair takes place on Sunday, May 17th, and runs on 5th Ave. from Sterling to 12th Street.

Southpaw will have outdoor stages at both Southpaw and The Gate. Their lineup is:

The Persuasions / The Nouvellas / Chin Chin / Miss Fairchild / Keys & Crates / Sonia's Party & Everyone's Invited /BeetRoot / Josephine Band / Puppetryarts / Questions for a Super Champion / Blame The Patient / Chances With Wolves DJ's / DJ's PQ & SuZan Z Anthony
entertainment begins at noon & goes to 6pm

Plus, inside Southpaw will the NYC Punk & Underground Record Fair with "30+ tables of punk, hc, power pop, d.i.y, new wave & indee music + A FULL BAR". $5.00 to get in, 10 am doors.

Check out a Nouvellas video below...

Continue reading "the Park Slope 5th Ave Street Fair is Sunday ++ record fair "

Besides being a tongue twister, NY Eye and Ear is also...

a 2 day record fair and all-ages music festival celebrating NYC homegrown DIY recording labels and bands. This is NYC's only record fair devoted exclusively to NY record labels. The title is inspired from the 1964 Michael Snow film w/ soundtrack by Albert Ayler and from the all-too-familiar signs seen daily in the subway tunnels by riders of the L-train of the famous NY Eye & Ear Infirmary. The Fest will be held at Vanishing Point, a huge 4700 sq. foot industrial loft in Bushwick, Brooklyn (240 Meserole street, Brooklyn, NY 11206).

Friday, December 12 from 2pm -4am
Saturday, December 13 from 2pm -4am

Something like 36 bands are playing at this thing, plus "Dance-party from 1:30 - 4am" each night. Ticket info and all the record sellers, labels and bands are listed below...

Continue reading "NY Eye & Ear music festival and record fair (Dec 12-13)"

DFA cancelled. More info on who didn't, below....

Continue reading "Superstar DJ Record Fair @ the Brooklyn Flea Sunday"

"America's Next Great Record Show."

Continue reading "the Brooklyn Record Riot (record show) @ Warsaw Sunday"